UltraBarrio 2024 Year In Review

2024 was a year of incredible growth and transformation for UltraBarrio. From moving to a new space to achieving recognition for our work, this year was full of milestones and stronger collaborations with our clients and partners. In 2024, we deepened our commitment to creating projects that have a positive, lasting impact on the neighborhoods we work within. From enhancing public spaces to working on redevelopment initiatives, we’ve been part of several community-focused and mobility projects that have brought people together and made cities better places to live. As we look to the future, we’re filled with excitement for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Here’s a look at some of the standout moments from 2024:

Awards

We received three Architect’s Newspaper Best of Design Awards for two of our transit focused projects! We are grateful for the incredible partnerships and clients that enable meaningful work.

• Best of Design for Unbuilt - Urban Design, Master Plan, and Landscape,

• Honorable Mention for Emerging Architects, and

• Editor’s Pick for Unbuilt - Urban Design, Master Plan, and Landscape.

Our collaborative work for the Houston-Galveston Area Council South Houston Livable Centers Study received the Houston APA Transportation Planning - Gold Award.

Exhibition & Publication

We are invited by the European Cultural Centre to exhibit our work in the Venice 2025 Architecture Biennale TIME SPACE EXISTENCE exhibition from May to November 2025, focused on our work in transforming the public realm. 

Drawing Codes: Experimental Protocols of Architectural Representation, book published by Andrew Kudless and Adam Marcus features UltraBarrio’s drawing ‘Context: Encoding and Emergence’ that responds to key prompts expanding the notion of ‘code’ and the relationship between design and representation.  The drawing will be part of an exhibit this coming January 2025.

Talks

Marcus was a panelist at the Texas AIA Design Conference Panel ‘Decoding Houston’s Architectural Vernacular’. The discussion centered around a more expansive view of vernacular.

Marcus was an invited speaker at the AIA Latinos in Architecture's event ‘COLORES’, speaking about his background, connection with Houston, and current work.

Amna moderated the Rice Civic Forum ‘Preservation for Whom?’ Rice School of Architecture dedicated its 2024 Civic Forum to preservation, with a panel discussion focusing on the Glenbrook Valley neighborhood in South Houston.

Projects

Southwest Civic Core Pavilion is transitioning into Design Development and Construction Documents, starting January 2025, supported by grants and local agencies.

Our transit and multi-modal focused work that aims to shape the future of cities through promoting urban resilience, enhancing the public realm, and fostering local ecologies continues with projects that design and analyze the performance of transit facilities and bus shelters.

Our work within communities that aims to create spaces by forging connections between individuals and their environments includes projects such as the All In 4 Inner Northwest Community Plan, Memorial Drive Pedestrian and Bike Study, and All In 4 Katy East Mobility and Community Plan.

We’re thrilled to partner with Houston Land Bank on The Finding Home Initiative, a transformative effort to create affordable and resilient housing in Houston’s underserved neighborhoods. This exciting initiative is supported by Fannie Mae and the CenterPoint Energy Foundation and will continue into 2025.

We continue our research on The Resilient Housing Study within the State of Texas towards topics of Resilience, Recovery, and Community.

Appointments

Marcus continued his appointment on the Board of the Architecture Center for Houston.

Amna continued her appointment at Rice School of Architecture teaching design studio on Houston Urbanism, and the seminar Civic Workshop, analyzing the lived conditions of Houston communities by fostering dialogue with individuals that are actively shaping these communities.

Marcus continued teaching courses at University of Houston College of Architecture, focused on representation.

Anna taught at University of Houston College of Architecture, the Graduate Design Studio focused on the typology of the dwelling that critically assess what it means to provide shelter.

Office Move

We moved into a new office space but we are still in Houston’s East End! Please come visit us!